Decalcomania



Patented Dec. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DECALCOMANIA No Drawing. Application March 30, 1940, Serial No. 326,957

Claims.

mania transfers, tax stamps and other forms of decalcomanias to adhere to various types of surfaces so that they could not be rolled off or pulled away either for a purpose or by accident of usage. It has been customary in many cases to use an intermediate solvent applied to the surface of the object or wrapper which tends to soften the surface so that the transfer will better adhere. It has also been the practice to add a solvent of a suitable nature to the object before application. Both methods are unhandy and entail hazards and extra costs of application. The application of too much solvent damages both the surface and the film. There is no control for the method and the utmost skill and care are required for application.

An object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby a transfer film may be caused to adhere permanently to a Cellophane wrapper, or like material, etc. by the use of ordinary care. A further object is to provide a decalcomania paper and surface therefor and also decalcomanias which may be used in the usual manner, while at the same time causing the transfer to permanently adhere to the difficult surface such as Cellophane, lacquer, etc.

In the practice of my method, I form a layer of adhesive over the decalcomania paper and this layer when dry receives the transfer fihn. The adhesive layer, however, differs from adhesive layers heretofore employed in that it retains in combination with a gum or resin a solvent which immediately becomes effective when water is applied to thepaper..to. --freethe transferl'" tfifspemtrtneseivm which heretofore has been substantially dormant becomes effective for bringing about a permanent adhesion between the transfer and the surface.

A very satisfactory retainer for the high-boiling solvent desired is a natural or synthetic gum or resin. Common gums such as shellac, rosin,

ester gums, may be employed, the gum being selected in accordance with the type of decalcomania or bond desired. These gums or resins are dissolved in their respective solvents or any suitable solvents for the gum or resin and may consist of a blend of different types.

In selecting a high-boiling solvent, I prefer to have one which blends with water readily and also combines with vegetable and animal glues. The adhesive coating initially may consist of a dextrine in solution form, and to such solution are added Various proportions of gum or resin adhesives, depending on the qualities desired in the resulting product. At first, I find that the ingredients do not mix thoroughly and I then add a high-boiling solvent until thorough blending is effected. Such solvents may consist of butyl Cellosolve (ethylene glycol butyl ether), ethyl lactate, etc.

As a specific example, the following may be stated:

gallons of water-soluble adhesive is formed by combining 50 parts of water, 30 parts of dextrine and 20 parts of bone glue. To this combination is then added 10 gallons of wax free white shellac which has been previously dissolved in alcohol. The mixture is then agitated for a while and 10 gallons of butyl Cellosolve added. The agitation is continued until the mixture is well blended. It is then applied to unsized base paper which has been precoated with a starch, as in the usual practice in forming decalcomania paper.

In the drying operation, the lower boiling solvents are carried away but much of the butyl Cellosolve is retained because of its boiling point of 163 to 174 C. The shellac serves as a retainer for the high-boiling solvent. While the alcohol is lost in preparing the solution, the butyl Cellosolve remains in suspension with the shellac.

Upon the paper coated with the starch of the adhesive just described, the transfer film may be formed in the usual manner. For example, a series of ink imprints may be formed thereon to build up an ink transfer body or, if desired, a transfer body may be formed of lacquer or any other suitable material.

In operation, the transfer of the above decalcomania is applied to the surface in the usual or normal manner. When the paper is submerged in water, a release of the film or transfer is effected, the film carrying with it a portion of the adhesive carried by the starch layer. The water reactivates the high-boiling solvent or solvents so that they can set to work on the shellac and also partly dissolve the surface to which the transfer is going to be attached, together with solvent action to the transfer film, making a more permanent bond of adhesive to transfer film. Since the Cellophane or other difi'icult surface to which the transfer is to be attached and since the transfer itself are both high moisture resisting surfaces, there is provided a prolonged period in the drying operation for the action of the solvent upon the gum or resin and the receiving surface. This prolonged drying between the film and the surface results in a complete bond with no particular damage to the film or the surface.

As above described, the application of the decalcomania to the difficult surfaces mentioned does not require special care or skill. It is applied as any ordinary decalcomania.

While I have described certain gums or resins which are suitable as retainers for a high-boiling solvent, it will be understood that those skilled in the art may use a large variety of retainers which may be effectively blended with the adhesive employed and serve to retain the solvent in dormant condition until the application of water brings about a reactivation of the solvent. It is obvious that the composition of adhesives and solvents may be varied at great length without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The term gum as used in the claims appended hereto is used in its broad sense to include resins and gums and similar products having the characteristics thereof whether naturally occurring or formed synthetically.

I claim:

1. A decalcomania for application to Cellophane, comprising a water absorbent paper base, a dry remoistening adhesive layer on said base, said layer including a water-soluble adhesive, a solvent retainer, a solvent for Cellophane carried by said retainer in dormant suspension but rendered effective by the application of water thereto, and a transfer carried by said adhesive layer.

2. A decalcomania for application to Cellophane, comprising a water absorbent base, a dry remoistening adhesive layer on said base, said layer including a water-soluble adhesive, a highboiling water-miscible organic solvent for Cellophane carried by said adhesive in dormant suspension but rendered effective by the application of water thereto, and a transfer carried by said adhesive.

3. In combination, a moisture-absorbent decalcomania paper, and a re-moistening adhesive layer thereon, said layer including a water-soluble adhesive, a solvent retainer, and a solvent adapted to soften a moisture-resistant surface to which the transfer may be attached, said solvent being carried by said retainer in dormant suspension but being rendered effective by the application of water to said layer.

4. In combination, a moisture-absorbent decalcomania paper, a starch layer thereon, and a remoistening adhesive layer on said starch layer, said adhesive layer including a water-soluble adhesive, a solvent-retaining gum, and a solvent adapted to soften a moisture-resistant surface to which a transfer may be attached, said solvent being carried by said gum in dormant suspension but being rendered effective by the application of water to said adhesive layer.

5. In combination, a moisture-absorbent decalcomania paper, and a dry remoistening adhesive thereon, said layer including a water-soluble adhesive, a gum, and high-boiling and low-boiling solvents for said gum, the high boiling solvent being adapted to soften a moisture-resistant surface to which a transfer may be attached, said high-boiling solvent being retained in a dormant state by said gum until said layer is moistened with water.

6. In combination, a-moisture-absorbent decalcomania paper, and a dry remoistening adhesive layer thereon, said adhesive layer including vegetable and animal glue, gum and butyl Cellosolve.

7. A decalcomania comprising a moisture-absorbent paper base, a layer of a dry remoistening adhesive on said base, said layer including a water-soluble adhesive, a solvent retainer, and a high-boiling solvent carried by said solvent retainer, and a transfer upon said adhesive layer, said solvent being adapted to soften a moisture resistant surface to which the transfer is applied.

8. A decalcomania comprising a moisture-absorbent paper base, a layer of dry remoistening adhesive thereon, said layer including a water soluble adhesive, a solvent-retaining gum, and a high-boiling water-miscible organic solvent carried by said gum in dormant condition until activated by contact with water, and a transfer carried by said adhesive layer, said solvent being adapted to soften a moisture-resistant surface to which the transfer may be applied.

9. A method of preparing a decalcomania base, comprising applying to a moisture-absorbent decalcomania paper a layer of a liquid adhesive mixture including a water-soluble adhesive, a solvent retainer, and a high-boiling solvent adapted to soften a moisture-resistant surface to which the base may be applied, and drying the liquid adhesive layer at a relatively low temperature to form a dry remoistening adhesive layer carrying said solvent in dormant suspension until activated by contact with water.

10. A method of preparing a decalcomania transfer, comprising applying to a moisture-absorbent decalcomania paper a layer of a liquid adhesive mixture including a water-soluble adhesive, a solvent-retaining gum, and a highboiling water-miscible organic solvent adapted to soften a Water-resistant surface to which the transfer may be applied, drying the liquid adhesive layer at a relatively low temperature to form a dry remoistening adhesive layer carrying said solvent in dormant suspension until activated by contact with water, and applying a transfer body to said dry adhesive layer.

FERDINAND W. HUMPHNER. 

